Despite Stimulus Funds, States to Cut More Jobs

[billyoc]

Eleven weeks after Congress settled on a stimulus package that provided $135 billion to limit layoffs in state governments, many states are finding that the funds are not enough and are moving to lay off thousands of public employees.

The state of Washington settled on a budget two weeks ago that will mean 1,000 layoffs at public colleges and several times that many in elementary and high schools.

The governor of Massachusetts, who cut 1,000 positions late last year, just announced 250 layoffs, with more likely to come soon.

Arizona has already laid off 800 social service workers this year and is facing the likelihood of deeper cuts over the next two. The state no longer investigates all complaints of child or elder abuse.

...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051103062.html

[w4rma]

1. Wall Street is happy, though. (nt)

[fasttense]

2. According to CNN economist the final cost to taxpayers for the all the bailouts to

banks/Wall Street/Insurance firms will be about $4 TRILLION.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/27/news/bigger.bailout.fortune/

If Obama had taken that $4 Trillion and set up a program, call it the Right to Work Corps (RTWC), to directly hire the unemployed, the Republicon recession/depression would be over.

He could have administered it through the unemployment offices. The government could have hired the unemployed at $10/hr and provide health-care through Medicare. Then small businesses could hire these people temporarily, for years if need be, and pay half their salaries. So basically a small business would be paying someone $5 an hour and no benefits but the person would be getting $10/hr and health-care. Of course they would have to be US citizens and would have to be offered leave and sick leave. But with $4 Trillion to spend on the poorest people the Republicon Depression/Recession would have been over in 6 months.

Instead he spent it on billionaires. Too bad.